Why Is My elderly parent Struggling
to get out of their chair?

1. Reduced Leg Strength

One of the most common reasons older adults struggle to get out of a chair is reduced strength in their lower limbs. This can also be a contributor to an increased falls risk. 

Standing requires considerable effort from several major muscle groups, particularly:

• Quadriceps: The muscles at the front of the thighs, responsible for straightening the knees.
• Gluteal muscles: The muscles around the buttocks that help extend the hips.
• Calf muscles: Important for ankle stability and controlling balance.
• Core muscles: Help stabilise the trunk and coordinate movement.

If these muscles become weaker, standing can require significantly more effort.

Your parent might compensate by pushing through the armrests, rocking forwards repeatedly or relying on someone else to help them stand.

Muscle weakness can develop gradually with age, but it can also result from inactivity, illness, reduced mobility or underlying medical conditions.

The encouraging news is that muscle strength can often be improved through appropriately prescribed resistance exercise, including in later life.

The NHS recommends regular muscle-strengthening activities for older adults to help maintain mobility and independence.

2. Pain and Joint Stiffness

Pain can make standing from a chair particularly difficult.

Conditions such as osteoarthritis commonly affect the hips and knees, potentially making it uncomfortable to bend the joints, transfer weight through the legs or straighten into standing.

Someone experiencing pain might:

• Avoid putting weight through one leg.
• Push heavily through their arms.
• Take longer to stand.
• Struggle more after sitting for prolonged periods.
• Avoid standing unless absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, avoiding movement because of pain can sometimes contribute to further weakness and reduced mobility.

Identifying whether pain, stiffness, weakness or a combination of factors is responsible can help guide appropriate treatment.

3. Poor Balance or Fear of Falling

Standing up requires us to move our centre of mass from a relatively stable seated position to a much smaller base of support over our feet.

For someone with impaired balance, this transition can feel frightening or unsafe.

They might hesitate before standing, reach immediately for nearby furniture or avoid standing without assistance.

Sometimes, a previous fall can contribute to a loss of confidence, even after the original injury has healed.

This can create a difficult cycle:

Fear of falling → Reduced activity → Muscle weakness → Greater difficulty standing → Increased fear of falling.

If your parent is experiencing similar difficulties, our guide to why elderly parents keep falling explores common causes of falls and how they can be addressed.

Read More About Our Falls Prevention Service Here:

4. Deconditioning Following Illness or Hospitalisation

Have you noticed that your parent has become significantly weaker following a hospital admission?

This is something physiotherapists frequently encounter.

Periods of reduced activity, particularly during illness or hospitalisation, can lead to a decline in muscle strength, endurance and functional ability.

This process is commonly referred to as deconditioning.

An older person who previously stood independently might begin needing assistance after spending several days or weeks predominantly in bed or sitting in a chair.

Deconditioning can affect much more than standing. Walking, climbing stairs, washing, dressing and other everyday activities may also become difficult.

Fortunately, some of these changes can be improved through progressive rehabilitation, although recovery depends on the individual’s health, previous abilities and underlying conditions.

Our post-hospital reconditioning physiotherapy service focuses on helping people rebuild strength, mobility and confidence following illness or hospital admission.

5. Frailty and Reduced Physical Reserve

Frailty is a medical condition associated with reduced physiological reserve, meaning the body becomes less able to cope with illness, injury or other physical stresses.

Someone living with frailty may experience:

• Reduced muscle strength.
• Slower walking speed.
• Increased fatigue.
• Difficulty completing everyday activities.
• Greater vulnerability to falls.
• Slower recovery following illness.

Frailty does not affect every older person, and it should not be considered an inevitable consequence of ageing.

Importantly, identifying frailty can help healthcare professionals develop strategies to maintain physical function and independence.

You can learn more in our guide: What Is Frailty in Older Adults?

The NHS have also published some guidance on Living With Frailty here:

6. Neurological Conditions and Other Medical Problems

Sometimes, difficulty standing from a chair is related to an underlying neurological or medical condition.

Examples include:

Parkinson’s disease: Can affect movement initiation, movement speed, posture and balance.

Stroke: May cause weakness, impaired coordination or difficulty controlling movements.

Peripheral neuropathy: Can affect sensation and balance, particularly when standing or walking.

Dementia: Some people living with dementia experience difficulties coordinating movements, understanding instructions or safely completing everyday activities.

Other medical conditions: Anaemia, infections, medication side effects and other illnesses may contribute to weakness, dizziness or reduced physical function.

If your parent has dementia, our guide to physiotherapy for people living with dementia explains how rehabilitation can be adapted to their individual needs.

A new or unexplained deterioration in mobility should be assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional rather than assumed to be caused by ageing.